Collapsible christmas tree



May 27 L. G. KARR COLLAPSIBLE CHRISTMAS TREE Patented May 27, 1924.

UNITED STATES LAURENCE G. KARE. O'F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

COLLAPSIB LE CHRISTMAS TREE.

Application filed March 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURENCE Cr. KARE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Long Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in CollapsibleChristmas Trees, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to artificial Christmas trees, and a purpose of myinvention is the provision of an artificial Christmas tree whichincludes a plurality of trunk sections detachably associated with eachother, and branches foldable upon the sections whereby, when the tree isnot inuse it can be completely collapsed to occupy minimum space forstorage or shipmen Although I will describe only one form of Christmastree embodying'my invention an point out the novel features thereof inclaims, it is to be understood that various changes and modificationsmay be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of suchclaims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevation one form of Christmas treeembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in sectionshowing one of, the joints between any two adjacent trunk sections.comprised in the tree shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4. I

Fig. '4: is a fragmentary sectional view showing the mounting for thebranches of any one section. i

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the branches. 7

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, partly broken %way, of the holder for thetree shown in Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of theholder shown in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in-each of theseveral views. I

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention, in its presentembodiment, comprises a trunk designated generally at T and composed ofa plurality of sections desig-] nated at t arranged end to end, and eachsection consisting of a body portion 15 upon one or both ends of whichis mounted a socket. 16 adapted to receive a head 17 formed on anadjacent section, as clearly d the ends thereof twisted 1922. Serial No.542,280.

1, the body portions 15 of the sections are gradually tapered from theirlower ends to their upper ends so as to provide a trunk of decreasingthickness from the base to the top.

Each section t is provided with a plurality of branches B which aresupported to occupy extended positions as shown in Fig.

1, or folded positions against the sides of the sections. Each branch B,as clearly shown in Fig. 5, consists of a wire 18 about which is wrappeda material 19, preferably feathers to simulate the pine needles of thenatural Christmas tree. One end of the wire 18 is coiled upon itself asindicated at 20 to (provide a sleeve through which is extende asupporting band or wire 21. The wire 21 embraces the body portion 15with about the shank of a screw 22. The body port-ion 15 is recessed atintervals as indicated at 23, such recessed portions receiving thesleeves 20 of the bearings B in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 3 and4, and so that the sleeves can rotate upon the wire 21. In the extendedposition of each branch a terminal lip 2st is formed on the wire 18, andthis lip abuts the body 15 when the branch is in extended position so asto define such position. In the folded position of any branch it isswung towai'd the body 15 as indicated in dash lines in Fig. 4 so thatit is disposed substantially parallel to the body 15.

For supporting the tree in upright position as shown in Fig.1, a holderdesignated generally atH is provided. This holder in the presentinstance comprises a pair of supporting members 25 and 26 which areformed of wirebent to provide raised me- 5 dial portions, with onemember intersecting the other'at right angles as clearly shown in Fig.6. At the points of intersection, the members are provided with plates27 and 28, respectively, formed with central openings m 29. The openingof the lower plate 27 is threaded to receive a screw-threaded extension30 formed on the lowermost section t, and on the under side of thisplate an ex-- tension 31 is rovided which is also thread- 10 ed toreceive t e screw 30 so as to provide a substantial connection for thescrew in sustaining the trunk T in upright position.

From the foregoing description taken In conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, it will be manifest that I have provided anartificial'Christmas tree in which shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig.

the trunk sections can be assembled and associated with the holder H toprovide a Christmas tree of the same general construction as the naturalChristmas tree, that is when the branches B are in extended positions ashas been described. When the sections are disassembled, and the branchesfolded-upon the sections, it will be clear that the tree will occupy aminimum space to permit of its being packed in a box for storage orshipment. It will be further noted that the members comprising theholder H can be detached when the screw 30 is withdrawn from What I,claim is:

1. An artificial Christmas tree comprising a trunk including a pluralityof sections, each of the sections comprising a body portion, headsandsockets formed on the ends of the body portion and in such manner thatthe socket of one section receives the head of an adjacent section forsustaining the sections in nd to end relation with each other, andbranches pivotally associated with the sections to occupy extended andfolded positions.

2. An artificial Christmas tree comprising a trunk including aplurality'of sections, each of the sectionscomprising a body portion,heads and-sockets formed on the ends of the body portion and in suchmanner that the socket of one section receives the head of an adjacentsection for sustaining the sections in end to end relation with eachother, supporting bands secured to the sections,

ranches pivoted on the bands to occupy folded and extended positions,and stops formed on the branches for defining the. ex-

tended positions thereof.

3. An artificial Christmas tree comprising a trunk including a pluralityof sections connected end to end and removably associated with eachother, branches pivotally associated with the sections to occupyextended and folded positions, each of the branches comprising a. wire,and a Wrapping therefor simulating ine needles.

4. In com ination, a tree trunk, a threadthe plates 27 and 28;

wetness ed member extending from the lower end of the trunk, and aholder comprising intersecting members, plates secured to the members atpoints of intersection and formed with registering openings, the lowerof one of Which is screw-threaded to receive said threaded member.

5. An artificial Christmas tree comprising a trunk including a pluralityof sections connected end to end and removably associated with eachother, each of the sections including a body portion formed withcircumferentially spaced recesses, a band encompassing the body portionand spanning the recesses, branches pivotally sustained on the band andeach including a single length to provide a sleeve through which theband is extended, and a stop engaging the body portion for defining theextended position of the branch.

6. An artificial Christmas tree comprising a trunk havingcircumferentially spaced recesses formed therein, bands encompassing thetrunk and .spanning the recesses, branches pivotally sustained on thebands and each including a single ring of wire bent to provide a sleevethrough which the band is extended, and a stop engaging the trunk fordefining the extended position of the branch.

7. In combination, an artificial tree including a trunk, a screwthreaded extension on the lower end of the trunk, and a holdercomprising intersecting supporting members, plates at the point ofintersection, said plates being formed with openings to receive saidextension, andmeans for securing the extension within the plates.

8. In combination, a treetrunk, a member extending from the trunk and aholder comprising intersecting members adapted to receive the firstmember at the point of intersection, and means for securing the firstmember to the intersecting members.

In testimony whereof I-have signed my name to this specification.

LAURENCE G. KARE.

